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Coyote the Trickster Oaks in Peril

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Coyote the Trickster Oaks in Peril The American River The Natural History Association ACORN Number 143136 www.arnha.org Spring 20082006 Coyote the Trickster clever, stupid, clownish, wise. ? by Ed Littrell The trickster is among us. The first most all at the same time. Many cul- In the last couple of hundred years, peoples here, the Nisenan or southern tures throughout the world, including after being more or less confined to the Maidu, as did many other North Ameri- our own, have stories which include a Great Plains of North America and the can native peoples, tell creation stories trickster or pre-human “beings.” To- Central Valley of California, the coyote which feature the coyote as a key char- day, our culture looks at the coyote with has increased its range to Central acter. Native Americans tell many varia- either an appreciation of its skills as a America, to the Arctic, and to the east tions on coyote stories. He’s capable of survivor or with anger at its taste for our coast of the United States. In a time demonstrating several characteristics al- sheep and pets.In the Great Plains when many wild animals are declining most simultaneously. He can and the West of the United in number, coyotes, along with intro- be clever, stupid, States, the coyote duced wild turkeys, white-tailed deer in clownish, wise, al- was considered see Coyote, page 3 the ancestor of the native peoples. In the time before hu- Oaks in Peril mans, coyote lived. Through various com- By Walt Wiley plicated activities, struggles, guile, and When the casual observer looks at the skill, he gave rise to the forest of the American River Parkway, people we now know as In- it’s a view of a healthy woodland. Jack dians. The Effie Yeaw Na- Hiehle, veteran naturalist specializing in ture Center (www.effieyeaw.org the American River Parkway, might agree 916-489-4918) at Ancil with that, but when he looks up through Hoffman Park and the Maidu the majestic old oaks he gets an uneasy Interpretive Center in feeling. Roseville (www.roseville.ca.us The oaks appear healthy, but as he [then click the link to the Indian Mu- looks upward it just seems as if there is The seum page] 916-774-5934) will be too much sky — as if the trees are miss- local coyote good sources of information on the Na- ing the leaves they need to absorb all looks like a small tive American populations originally liv- the sunlight that is falling on them. dog, maybe a collie. ing here. They’ll have their coyote cre- The trees are getting old, and as limbs An adult coyote weighs ation stories. Coyote had/has an inter- are lost from storms and other damage, around 20 to 45 pounds. esting “life.” see Peril, page 7 Free EYNC Program every Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 ARNHA Board of Directors “Be the change you want to see Larry Washington President Lee Wilner in the world” –Gandhi Vice President, Membership Peggy Kennedy Vice President, Publications We all know that just being in nature is good therapy from our daily, frantic- Claudia Hulbe Recording Secretary paced lifestyle. We owe it to ourselves, our friends, and our family to step out of all Paula Baldi the rigor of the world and spend some time in natural surroundings. Corresponding Secretary But unless we set our minds to get out in nature, we forget how important it is Roberta Wilner Treasurer to our soul and spirit and how enjoyable it can be. We also forget how close we are to the American and Sacramento Rivers and all the natural beauty that surrounds Members at Large us. Cindy Dunning Marilee Flannery So as the New Year begins, let us all spend more time surrounded by nature. Bruce Kennedy Bring a friend to the American River Parkway or to the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Linda Thomas Greg Voelm and share the joy of nature: the younger the better. Let friends know about Ancil Jamie Washington Hoffman Park and its great nature center and all of the fun programs that it Walt Wiley provides. Tell your friends to leave the ipod at home and join us at the Bird and Associate Members Breakfast and other up-coming events. Katie Baygell Remember that a walk in the park can lower your blood pressure, help you set Bill Dillinger Carol Doersch your priorities straight, and put you a better mindset. It will create a better Mojgan Fischer lifestyle for you and your family, but be careful! It can be addictive. Bud Getty Peter J. Hayes Lou Heinrich Sincerely, Mia Hershiser Larry Washington Timothy Howe President, ARNHA ■ Georgia Jones Molly Keller Ed Littrell Diana Parker Kip Skidmore Jo Smith Betsy Weiland Lynn White ARNHA Welcomes Spring with Representatives to other groups: Wildflower Program Commission on History and Science Environmental scientist Tim Nosal will present an illustrated program on Greg Voelm where go to see Sacramento area wildflowers at their best in the Sacramento re- Parkway Advisory Committee Betsy Weiland gion in another in a series of ARNHA public forums Thursday, March 27, at 7 Parkway Master Plan Revision Committee p.m. at the EffieYeaw Nature Center Assembly Building in Ancil Hoffman Park. Lou Heinrich Nosal, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California State Univer- Save the American River Ass’n. Bud Getty sity, Sacramento, is employed by the state Department of Fish and Game to American River Parkway Coalition. provide plant advice for timber harvest operations. He formerly taught wildflower Katie Baygell & Peggy kennedy classes at American River College and was a contributor to the latest edition of ARNHA’s Outdoor World of the Sacra- ARNHA American River Natural History Association mento Region field guide. He was also P.O. Box 241 a naturalist at the Effie Yeaw Nature Carmichael, CA 95609 Center and a ranger assistant on the (916) 489-4918 • www.arnha.org American River Parkway. The ACORN is published quarterly by Light refreshments will be ARNHA, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization served at the free event. ■ 2 Tell Your Friends About ARNHA – Recruit a New Member Today Spring 2008 Coyote, from page 1 your yard, only if the fence is at least six of establishing protective fencing for live- the East, and bears, are doing well. feet high and goes into the ground six stock, or bringing livestock and pets in Maryland and Delaware were the last inches, so coyotes can’t dig under it. For to shelter at night. Certain species of of the 48 States to have coyotes show additional information you can visit dogs such as Great Pyrenees, or even lla- up: 1972 for Maryland. www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/ mas, may be used as guard animals. In The population levels of wolves, red coyote.html on the internet. many cases, the adaptability of coyotes is foxes, and coyotes are connected. Al- The American River Parkway has demonstrated by reproductive rates in- though wolves were probably never plenty of coyotes. They’ve been seen at creasing when humans kill some, and by widespread in California, with only scat- the Ancil Hoffman Golf Course. Coy- new coyotes moving in from adjacent ter- tered reports indicating a casual or “ac- otes are seen even on our surface streets. ritories to replace those we’ve killed. cidental” population level, they were The local coyote looks like a small dog, Coyotes can cause us damage. Be- widespread in the rest of the continent. maybe a collie. An adult coyote weighs sides livestock damage, there are docu- Now, humans have suppressed most around 20 to 45 pounds, occasionally mented cases of coyotes attacking hu- wolf populations. heavier. They are brownish gray, with mans, especially small children. Some Two hundred years ago before hu- light undersides, and they can run at of these attacks are associated with hu- mans were so numerous, wolves prob- speeds up to 30 mph. Their muzzles mans feeding coyotes in the neighbor- ably suppressed coyote numbers in the are pointed. They have a bushy tail and hood. Coyotes are so common at the plains. Coyote numbers in the plains a long muzzle. The Parkway also has gray Mammoth Mountain ski area in the cen- and East have risen with the removal of foxes, a smaller member of the dog fam- tral Sierra, that warning signs are posted, wolves, and by the ability of the coyote ily (see The Acorn Spring 2007). Coy- reminding skiers not to give them their to coexist with us. Mid-western red foxes otes usually give birth to five or six pups. lunch! DON’T FEED COYOTES. originally may have been suppressed by Coyotes may interbreed with domestic They do carry transmittable diseases coyotes, although our agricultural prac- dogs, producing “coydogs.” Of course, such as distemper, parvo virus, and ra- tices may have countered this and actu- adult coyotes howl at night, and yip. bies. They also have mange (have you ally helped red foxes. Most authorities These vocalizations are pretty distinc- seen a mangy coyote?) and tularemia. suggest California’s red foxes were origi- tive. They can’t be mistaken for any- If coyotes are a problem in your area nally found only in the Sierra Nevada, thing else. The coyote’s scientific name, and causing damage, you may call the with Central Valley red foxes represent- Canis latrans, means barking dog. The Sacramento County Agricultural ing escapes from fox farms. common name, coyote, comes from the Commissioner’s office (not animal con- Unlike wolves and red foxes, coyotes Aztecs. trol) at 875-6603 and ask for the interact with us and our domesticated Coyotes have been hated by some trapper’s extension.
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